After Felix deferred trying Paul’s case until any accusers arrived, Ananias, some elders, and a hired legal advocate named Tertullus showed up in Caesarea to present their case against Paul. Paul was summoned before the court, and Tertullus began by flattering Felix. Following his praise of Felix, he accused Paul of being a plague, an insurrectionist, a ringleader of the Nazarenes, and a profaner of the Jewish temple: a host of serious charges! All the Jews in the accusing entourage heartily agreed, asserting everything Tertullus had stated was true.
Felix then nodded over to Paul to make his defense. While the prosecution had merely presented accusations, Paul made clear that what he would state in defense could be verified and proved. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, not to cause a riot. No eyewitnesses would be able to prove that he had disputed with anyone or stirred up a crowd at any time in the 12 days he was in Jerusalem. If there was anything for Paul to admit, it was THIS: his confession of faith … his fidelity to worship of the ancestral Jewish God. He did confess to being a member of the Way, but that the Way was not a deviation from Judaism. Rather, it is the real fulfillment of it in Jesus Christ. Paul was a true monotheistic Pharisee believing in the totality of the Law and Prophets. His future hope was in God, namely that there will be a resurrection of the just and unjust. With these realities in mind, Paul intentionally strove to avoid giving offense before God or man in any way, in order to maintain a clear conscience before God.
Paul closed his argument by explaining the circumstances of being in the state of purification in the temple when the Jews from Asia (noticeably absent from this court hearing) caused trouble for Paul. Where were they to make their accusation?!? And if they couldn’t/wouldn’t, then the Sanhedrin members in Felix’s courtroom should explain what evil they uncovered in Paul when they tried him. Hearing all this, Felix elected to postpone Paul’s trial in order to pacify the Jews and to potentially extort Paul. Paul was personally kept in custody by a centurion but given a measure of freedom.
- What was the substance of Paul’s defense?
- What were the alms that Paul brought to Jerusalem?
- What did Luke mean when he stated that Felix had a rather accurate knowledge of the Way?
- What reason did Felix give for putting off rendering a judgment?
- How long will Paul wait for Felix to re-try him?
You can listen to this teaching on Acts 24:1-23 by clicking on the following link: Christianity On Trial – Part 2
